This is a rare antique Japanese sake cup, decorated with a very detailed picture of one of the first Western style warships of Japan, the Kaisei-maru. This was a ship that was built by the Sendai domain (before the Meiji revolution and the fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate) in 1859. It was meant for patrolling the domain's extensive coastline along the northeastern part of Honshu. Sendai domain was also responsible for overseeing southern Hokkaido at the time, adding to the pressure to build a modern fleet, and so this was their first attempt at a ship in the Western style. The words on the back outlines the details of the ship - that it was Miura Kenya who was tasked with building the ship, and he modeled it after Western ships. The ship, though small, is finer than any example floating, and signed by Koshikawa Yugi. 

Condition: One hairline at 12 o'clock. Please see the last picture for a closeup.

Size: 4.75" across